TWELVE talented Inverclyde performers were on song as they battled it out for the right to be crowned young musician of the year.

The Rotary Club of Gourock’s annual competition was held at the Beacon and saw representatives from all the district’s secondary schools take to the stage.

Judges had a tough job choosing a winner, such was the high standard of performance from all competitors, but it was Clydeview Academy student Jennifer Williamson who edged it in the end.

Jennifer, inset below, impressed a judging panel featuring BBC Scotland presenter Judith Ralston, who is also a classically trained musician and studied opera.

Rotary Club president Alex Murphy said: “The audience at the Beacon Arts Centre were left in no doubt that Inverclyde’s got talent!

“Twelve performers, representing each of the secondary schools in Inverclyde, offered music and singing of an exceptionally high standard, from Handel to contemporary rock.

“The teachers of Inverclyde should be commended for the variety and standard of the pieces presented by the pupils.” In the solo voices section, winner Jennifer had it tough as she faced fierce competition from the talented group of Mhairi McPherson, from St Columba’s, Amber Alexander, of Port Glasgow High, James Barclay, from Inverclyde Academy, Lucy Harvey of St Stephen’s and Daire Coyle from Notre Dame.

But the panel, made up of Judith, Ian McCrorie and Fiona McNeill, chose the Clydeview pupil as the winner.

Accompanied by teacher Polly Beck, she gave an emotional, evocative rendering of von Gluck’s ‘O Del Mio Dolce Ardor’.

Second was Daire Coyle, accompanied by Gerard Gordon, who sang two short pieces, including a spirited interpretation of ‘Tit Willow’ from the Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan.

The solo instrument competition was even more varied, featuring marimba, bass guitar and tuned percussion alongside the more traditional trombone, flute and clarinet offerings.

Paul Haggerty, below, from St Columba’s, accompanied by Gail Alexander, won this section for his skilled marimba rendition of ‘Yellow after the Rain’ by Mitchell Peters.

Runner-up instrumentalist was Alexandra Griffen of Clydeview, with a flute performance of ‘Sicilienne’ by Gaubert.

Other performers in this section were Adam Greer (St Columba’s, bass guitar), Aimee McDiarmid (Inverclyde Academy, clarinet), Michael Hepburn (St Stephen’s High, trombone) and Caitlin Monaghan (Notre Dame, tuned percussion).

Mr Murphy said: “The winner will take part in the district regional and, hopefully, national finals in the New Year.

“The club would like to thank the schools for encouraging and tutoring the pupils who took part and hope one of the winners may end up in the national finals, where there has been an Inverclyde runner-up in the past.

“Perhaps 2015 will be the year one of our performers nails it to become National Rotary Club of Great Britain Young Musician of the Year.”